Possible Atari 2600 Prototype..?? Help!

[Rurouni_Fencer]

So I was going through my Atari collection this afternoon, and I came across a Berzerk chip that looked weird. I'm not too familiar with the whole Atari scene, so I'm hoping somebody out there reading this can take a look at the pic below and tell me what it is? From the research I've done tonight, I can't tell if it's a possible in-house prototype meant for testing, or if it's just someone's attempt at pirating the game. (The person I got the lot of games from had both this chip AND an official Berzerk cart, so I don't know why he'd have a pirated copy as well..)

Anyway, any help would be immensely appreciated!!

[CRTGAMER]

Does look a little odd. Does it work? Same exact titles and screenshosts as the regular Berzerk?

[Rurouni_Fencer]

not sure - I'm going to dig out my old Atari this afternoon and test it out.. Thanks for the reply!

[Xonticus]

That's awesome looking, definitely looks like a rough copy / early model if it is legit.

[CRTGAMER]

Couple screenshots of what looks to be the official 2600 version, maybe help for the comparison.

Color changing screensaver (after not playing for a while) ......... Game play screen, got shot. Note year on the left screen.
.

[Rurouni_Fencer]

Murphy's Law: It will NOT work when you need it to.

Today i dug out my old 7800 prosystem to see if it will work and guess what? No power. I think my 25 year old Atari power cord finally gave up the ghost, so that didn't work.

So, I went back to storage and unearthed my even older 6-switch, 2600 system and hoped for the best. It, too, didn't work.
Two Atari systems are sitting next to my chair here and neither one wants to work for me to test out this damn mystery Berzerk PCB..

So tomorrow I'll be heading to my local Play N' Trade store and see if they can fire up a working 2600 machine and allow me to try it out there.. I will post back what I find.

And thanks, guys, for reading this thread and replying back.. (Especially you, CRTGAMER, for the screenshots.) I'll let you all know tomorrow what I find out!

[CRTGAMER]

No problem, please post what you find out, maybe a pic of the screenshot at Play n Trade.

As for the two dead consoles, when sitting a while the cart contacts probably needs some cleaning.

Contact Cleaner sprayed on a cheap cart then plug-unplug a few times. Let fully dry before powering back on.

[Rurouni_Fencer]

Well, I just got a bunch of replies back from the fine folks over at AtariAge who saw my posted pics of the PCB.. Here are a few of their verdicts:

comment 1 - "Yarrr matee! "

comment 2 - "Arrrr...Plus one for yee scalawag...arrrrrr!!! "

comment 3 - "ARRRGH, a swig of grog to yee, aaarrr! "

comment 4 - "Arrrr...Avast Ye matee! Hornswaggled yee Atari games "

...and it goes on like this..

*ahem* Needless to say, it looks like an old pirated copy.. But it was a pretty fun 24 hours of wondering WTF this was.. haha!

Thanks again for the help! Now who wants to help me bury me stolen plunder..?

[itsmattxp]

thats hilarious how they posted like a pirate to tell you it was a pirated copy haha

[Pabstblueribbon]

It would have been even funnier if you had posted here not understanding what they meant...

anyway, too bad it wasnt something like a prototype. I guess you can buy an eyepatch and play it..?